Mechanic caught with €139k cannabis stash at Covid checkpoint in Cork

Accused was stopped at a checkpoint on the M8 at Killydonoghue in Glanmire on Tuesday March 23, 2021, court heard

Accused's Renault van was searched and in the back gardaí found seven packages of cannabis in two bags, court told. File picture: Colin Keegan, Collins 

A routine Covid checkpoint in Cork resulted in a Dublin mechanic being caught carrying a €139,000 stash of cannabis herb in the back of his van and now he has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Judge Helen Boyle said: “It is in truth a cautionary tale about a young man accruing a drugs debt and the difficulty that causes for himself and his family.” 

The judge imposed a sentence of five years, with the final two years suspended, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Thomas Gahan, 33, of Kilmahuddrick Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, is a skilled mechanic who is valued by his employer, his senior counsel Ray Boland said at the sentencing hearing.

Gahan agreed to carry the stash of drugs because he had become addicted to cocaine and clocked up a €10,000 drugs debt.

He was pressurised to repay this debt and brought the drugs from Dublin. Mr Boland SC said the young man was unaware of how much was to have been taken off his drug debt by carrying the cannabis stash.

The matter came to light during a Covid lockdown when people had to justify their journeys beyond a certain distance. 

Garda Ray O’Brien stopped Thomas Gahan at such a checkpoint on the M8 at Killydonoghue in Glanmire and the defendant was driving his van at 8.20pm on Tuesday March 23, 2021. He did not have a letter from his employer as to why he was so far from home and the purpose of his journey.

False name

Gahan gave Garda O'Brien a false name and details. He claimed to be a relative and supplied a number of details such as address and date of birth that tallied with the false name which he had given.

When asked about this false information when he was initially before the court for his bail application, he said: “It was pure panic. I absolutely panicked from the start.” 

However, he said when he woke up the following morning in the Garda station he said one of the detectives referred to him by the false name he had given, and Gahan said he immediately gave his correct name to gardaí.

Detective Sergeant Joe Young said the Renault van was searched and in the back gardaí found seven packages of cannabis in two bags.

A blood test was taken and he was found to be driving while under the influence of cocaine.

He acknowledged to gardaí he had three phones — one personal, one for work and the third for the purpose of the transporting of the drugs.

Gahan expressed fears to gardaí about giving the names of others involved in this drug-dealing as he said he was in fear of retribution against himself or other family members.

Mr Boland said: “Because this was Covid, these persons transporting drugs had trouble doing so. Mr Gahan was targeted because he had a legitimate job.” 

Det Sgt Young agreed the young man may have been targeted for the transporting of the drugs because he had a legitimate reason to be on the road.

Judge Helen Boyle said: “You indicated you were in fear of the people who recruited you. You did not provide the PIN numbers to access your phones.

“You have two convictions for Section 3 — simple possession — charges.

“You have spent some time in custody in relation to the matter as you were initially refused bail. You spent five months and 18 days in custody in relation to the matter.

“Mr Boland says you engaged positively with treatment and the probation service, you removed yourself from a negative peer ground and have taken up new interests to occupy yourself. You have a good work history.” 

However, the judge said that while there were mitigating factors, it was too serious a case for an entirely suspended sentence.

The judge said the time already served by the accused should be taken into account in terms of the serving of the three years.